Finding Our Way
by battlebornxx
Summary: Jake and Clare are happily married with three children of their own. But what if Eli comes back into the picture? Let's just say it is never too late to fall in love all over again.
1. Yours, Mine, and Ours

Clare walked through her house one Monday afternoon as she just got home from work. Clare opened Luke's door with a basket of laundry. "Luke," Clare said sighing stopping to look at his room. "I told you to clean your room before you played those video games!" Luke tossed his controller on his bed, standing up. "Sorry, Mom. Just had to pass level 25." He said with a smile.

Clare rolled her eyes with a small smile, "Clean up your room, or the video games are out the door, Luke."

"Mom, I'm cleaning! Go annoy Clara and Mark, I'm sure they'd _love _it."

"Luke, don't talk to me like that! And they actually keep their rooms decent!"

After Clare folded Luke's laundry, she headed to peek in Mark's room. "Mark, did you clean your room?" When Clare got no response, she opened the door and walked in. "Mark?" She gasped when she saw Mark under the covers, doing…well, get an idea. "Mark!" Clare yelled pulling the covers off of him.

"Mom! Why didn't you knock!"

"I did! I didn't mean to find you…doing your pleasures."

"My pleasures?"

Mark's dark hair shined as he picked up his shirt and put it back on blushing. "Mom, it's _my _room. I can do whatever I want. I'm almost thirteen! I'm pretty much an adult now!"

Clare put her face in both of her hands, as Mark smirked. Clare put down her hands, "Well, at least you cleaned your room."

At the dinner table that night, Clare sat down a huge plate of chicken. Her husband, Jake smiled with pleasure as she kissed him on his cheek. Clare sat down, "Clara it's your turn to say the blessing."

"No, Mom! It's Luke's turn!"

"Clara, I'm the oldest, which that I meant I went Monday."

"You think your such an adult, when really your just fifteen."

"Clara! Luke!" Clare said sighing. "It shouldn't even matter who says the blessing! We just need to thank god for the food we have, and the roof over our heads."

"But don't we buy food at the grocery store?" Mark said.

Jake laughed, while Clare was aggravated with her children. "Clara, say the blessing."

Clara smiled at Clare and closed her eyes, "Dear god, thank you for everything. Thank you for our food, our clothes, our toys, our family, our things, Fluffy our cat, our bathroom," Clare peeked at Jake with concern as Clara kept on naming pretty much everything they had. "And for our shoes, and for our mirrors, and, and for lots of things! Amen."

Clare chuckled a bit under her breath as she put chicken on her plate. Clara dug her small teeth into her chicken, as the others did the same. Clara looked at Mark and put down her chicken. "How did you like masturbating this afternoon, Mark?" Everyone almost spit out their chicken, and Clare looked at her shocked. "Clara Elizabeth Martin! Don't you ever talk like that at the table!"

"Mom, I don't even know what it means, I just heard Daddy talking about it."

The next day Clare took Mark and Clara shopping for new school clothes at the mall. Clara was so excited, for it was almost Christmas and the whole mall was decorated with colorful lights everywhere. "Momma, is Santa here?" She asked grabbing Clare's sleeve playfully. Mark smirked and flipped his dark hair back. Clara seemed to notice Mark's expression, but ignored it. "Momma, why is me and Mark's hair dark? And you and Daddy's are light?"

Clare seemed the hesitate for a minute, actually thinking for a minute. "It's a mixture of both of ours, honey. And Santa is here! If you be good, you can tell him all what you want for Christmas!"

Clara jumped up and down with excitement. "I will never be too old to visit _Santa_!" Her six year old voice exclaimed. Mark rolled his eyes, and tucked his hands into his pockets. "Come on, let's go into Hollister to get some things for Mark."

"Mom, you know I don't like Hollister!"

"I thought the kids still wear that, now a days!"

"Sure they do, but I don't like it."

As Clare, Mark, and Clara walked away from Hollister, Clare felt someone bump into her, causing her pocket book to fall onto the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! You want me to help?" A man's voice said.

"No, it's fine, I think I got it…"

When Clare looked up her heart stopped, and so did the mans'. He had dark brownish blackish hair, and deep beautiful eyes. He smirked as he smiled. "Eli?" She whispered. Eli got up and helped her up, "Clare Edwards, it's been a while."

"Clare Edwards?" Mark said with confusion.

Clare smiled at him lovingly, and then back to Eli. "Eli, these are my kids. Clara and Mark."

Eli raised his eyebrows at the name Clara. But quickly shook it off. Clare studied him, he aged a bit but besides that he hasn't changed at all. "Nice to meet you, Clara and Mark." Eli said shaking both of their hands while kneeling down with a smile.

"Hey! We have the same eyes!" Clara said giggling shyly.

Eli laughed at her cuteness of a normal six year old. "So we do." He said poking her nose gently, which made her giggle even louder. Mark smirked a little, making Eli turn to him. "Why hey, Mark!"

"How do you know my mom?"

"Oh…we went to school together a very long time ago."

"Mark, how about you go take Clara to get ice cream in the food court." Clare said giving him five dollars.

Clara jumped up and down with even more excitement as the both of them walked away hand in hand.

Eli smiled at Clare, them both locking eyes together. As if the memories came flooding back into each other's minds. "You still have pretty eyes."

"Eli, I'm glad to see you."

"Not as glad as I am to see you."

"So, how are you?"

"I'm good, good."

"So, are you married? What do you do now?"

Eli looked down and took his toboggan off and held it in both of his hands. Clare knew she said something wrong, for she regretted her words. "Imogene and I were married for about ten years, but it wasn't love. I was only with her to help her, so she could get away from…"

"From what?"

"From her dad…"

"Oh, Eli, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, you didn't know. But I am a writer now."

Clare smiled at him, so happy that he fulfilled his life long dream of becoming a writer. "You might see my books on shelves right after Christmas."

"Oh? What is your book about?"

"It's about a little boy and a little girl who grew up in a horrible situation together, and…"

"No! No spoilers! I just know it's going to be a great book!"

Eli smiled, feeling proud of himself. After a moment of silence, Eli turned to Clara and Mark getting ice cream from a far distance. "I miss them." He said with tears in his eyes.

Clare looked down with a heavy sigh, "Mark looks like you more and more every day." Eli kept staring at them, which was breaking Clare's heart so badly it hurt.

"Your still married to Jake?"

"Yes."

"Mark and Clara still think he's their father?""Eli…""I'm tired of pretending, Clare. There my kids too."


	2. Realizing

Clare didn't sleep that night beside her husband. She kept looking over at him, thinking…just thinking…what would've happened if Clare married Eli? It's been almost 30 years. 30 years of pure warm memories. And her heart ached for some new ones. Clare imagined Eli with her family on thanksgiving, opening presents with her children on Christmas, on birthdays, on family events, graduation, and even their weddings. Eli deserved to be a part of Mark's and Clara's life. But how in the world could she tell them Jake's not their real father? Luke was no doubt in mind Jake's son. His broad muscles, and his tall figure. He looked just like Jake when he was that age, nothing at all like Eli.

But Mark, seemed to be like…a miniature him. He loves books, he loves to write, never watches a lot of television, always outside if he isn't reading or writing, and his smirk…and his eyes. Clara had Eli's eyes and lips, and open opinion to the world. Clare smiled at the scene at the dinner table earlier that day. For Clara didn't know what "Masturbation" meant, she was just a six year old who overheard something from her father.

Clare's mind drifted back thirteen years ago, when her and Eli saw each other at the high school reunion. She was twenty two years old, as Eli was twenty four. Clare had Luke when she turned twenty, right after Jake and her ran away to get married. Clare took two year old Luke to the reunion with Jake by her side. Everyone was saying hello to little Luke as he giggled at all the attention he was getting. "Hey, Luke!" Adam Torres said in a babyish tone in his voice with his wife, Bianca by his side. "Can you say Adam, Luke?" Clare said laughing.

"Addemm!"

Adam and Bianca both laughed at how cute he was. Old schoolmates passed by with hugs and kisses for both Clare and Luke. Clare looked through the crowd of her old friends, and spotted someone who made her heart stop. Eli. Eli Goldsworthy. "Eli!" Clare called at him, wanting desperately to talk to him. Eli turned and looked at the person who called his name, and his heart seemed to sink into his eyes. He walked towards Clare, and smiled at Luke. "Why, Clare Edwards, it's been a while hasn't it?"

Clare looked down and smiled, thrilled to be in his presence again. "You still have those beautiful eyes." Eli said with his heart growing once again.

Clare felt like a young teenager once again! Her heart began to flutter, and everyone in the room seemed not to be there but just for her and Eli. Then the moment was ruined when Luke started to cry. Clare sighed and picked him up, "Did you go to the bathroom, Luke?" She asked him wiping the tears away from his face. Luke shook his head slowly, who finally stopped crying. "Hungry, Momma, Hungry."

"I'll go get Daddy to go and get you a snack, okay honey? Eli, can you hold Luke for a minute?"

Eli looked taken aback to the idea of holding a baby, but before he knew it little Luke was in his arms. "Hi, Luke!" Eli said with a sweet smile as Clare walked to Jake to tell him to take Luke to get him something to eat. "Hi," Luke said shyly with a smile on his face. "You…you wanna play with me?"

Eli smiled at him and began twirling him around making spinning noises, making Luke laugh as loud as he could, making some people stop and smile at the two of them. Jake and Clare returned to Eli smiling warmly at him, but Clare was smiling a bigger smile. "It's been fun playing with you, Luke. But I think you have to go eat now." And with that Luke was handed off to his Daddy, "It's been a while, Eli. How are you?" Jake said shaking his hand with Luke in his arms. "Never been better." He said with a smile.

After a moment of happy silence, Jake walked off leaving Clare and Eli alone to talk. Luke waved his little hand goodbye to Eli happily. Eli waved back with a warm smile, happy to know that Luke accepted him as a friend. "Do you want to go outside and talk?" Eli said with a gesture.

Clare shrugged with a smile, "Sure, why not?" The two of them walked to the side of the building in the cool fall weather, and they both leaned against the wall. "It seems like we went back six years ago, doesn't it? Were young and free! Sixteen and seventeen. Eli and Clare."

Eli laughed at Clare's remark, which made her blush just a little. After a moment of silence, Clare's smile faded. "I miss you, Eli." Clare turned to him with sadness in her eyes. "My marriage is…_fake_. The only good thing in my life right now is Luke, Jake doesn't even talk to me. All he asks is 'What's for dinner?' 'Is Luke okay?' 'We need to focus on our bills'."

Eli smirked a little and looked up at the sky with tears in his eyes only Clare could see. For they seemed to sparkle against the hard, bright moon up in the sky being accompany for the thousands of stars.

"My marriage is the same." Eli said still looking at the sky. It caught Clare off guard when Eli began to sob soft tears. "It really does seem like we went back six years, doesn't it?"

Clare stepped closer to him, stroking his dark hair. A single tear rolled down Clare's cheek as her nose touched his. Eli stroked her cheek, Clare realized he was shaking. She grabbed his hand from her face gently to make it stop shaking. She leaned in barely, for both of their lips were barley touching. After a minute, their lips finally crashed together. It was even better than their first kiss they both had six years ago. Eli's tongue entered Clare's mouth, and she knew what was going to happen. For she jumped in his arms, and repeatedly kissed him as he carried her under a willow tree.

Eli sat Clare down against the willow tree and unbuttoned her blouse, kissing her neck so softly and so tenderly. Eli drew back to take his shirt off and his pants, for Clare did the same. They both kissed until they needed air. Eli kissed Clare in ways Jake never kissed her, touched her as Jake never touched her, _loved_ her as Jake never loved her. And for the first time, Clare didn't panic when came the _snap_ from her bra strap unclipped and was thrown in the middle of the back yard.

When Eli entered her, Clare knew something as a fact. She didn't love Jake, she loved Eli. She always loved Eli, and she made the biggest mistake marrying Jake. For Eli was her soul mate, no matter what happened to either of them. Eli and Clare making love felt so…natural. As for her and Jake, it felt like some sort of a force. It hurt so bad too and Clare wasn't ready for _hurting_. Jake said it's because he had too big of a penis to enter her, which made him laugh and Clare fake laugh. But with Eli it didn't hurt at all, it felt _good_.

Clare drifted away from the past and found herself laying next to her husband in bed once again, unhappy as always. But then Clare found herself walking up to the kitchen and picking up the phone. She looked at the clock, it was almost three in the morning. Has she really been daydreaming for _that long? Clare dialed a number she found memorized by heart. It was Cece's and Bullfrog's number, she prayed to god they had the same phone number. It rang about five times until it was answered. "Hello?" A tired deep voice said into the receiver. "Um…Bullfrog? It's, it's Clare. Clare Edwards…"_

_Bullfrog's voice sounded a little more happy when he heard the name 'Clare'. "Clare? Why, it's good to hear from you! At three o' clock in the morning…" _

"_I know, I know, I'm so sorry. I just need to have Eli's new number if you don't mind? It's an emergency."_

_There was a silence from the other end of the phone, and it sounded like things were scattered about on the other line. Clare could hear Cece's voice in the background, "Babe, what's going on? Who's that on the phone? Is it Eli?" _

"_No, honey. It's Clare Edwards! Remember her?""Why on earth is that child calling so late?"_

"_She wants to call Eli, she says its an emergency."_

_Suddenly Clare felt bad for calling Cece and Bullfrog this late, why didn't she just wait until morning? Once again, Clare apologized for ringing them up so late after Bullfrog gave her the number. "Oh, honey it's no problem. I was up and awake. It was me who woke up Cece! Have a good night! Or day…or whatever! Call me if you need anything!"_

_When he hung up Clare quickly dialed the number Bullfrog gave her. It was immediately answered. "Hello?" Eli's voice said. _

"_Eli? It's me…It's Clare…" Clare said with a croaky voice. There was silence on the other end of the line, for it seemed like a thousand years of silence to Clare. _

"_Clare, why are you calling me?"_

"_Because, I need you…" _

"_You just now realized that?"_

"_No. I knew it all along."_

_Another silence that made Clare's heart sink. "I'll be there in thirty minutes." Eli said slamming the receiver down._


End file.
